Farmers introduced to new variety of maize

Chinchang (U/W), Oct. 17, GNA- A new variety of high yielding maize known as "Mamaba" was introduced to farmers at a Chinchang in the Sissala District of the Upper West region on Thursday. The new variety, which is a protein hybrid maize developed in 1996 by the Crops Research Institute (CRI), is capable of yielding about seven metric tonnes per hectare as against the low yield of two metric tonnes obtained from local varieties.

The introduction of the variety coincided with the celebration of World Food Day that was organised by Techno Serve in collaboration with Savannah Agricultural Research Institute and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

In a speech read for him, Mr Nick Railston-Brown, Country Director of Techno Serve, said the organisation has since 1998 assisted some small-scale farmers to increase their incomes through the participation in its inventory credit programme.

Mr Railston-Brown said with the current stable prizes and supply of maize in the market the option available to farmers to enable them remain in profitable maize production is for them to become more efficient in production.

He said results of demonstration farms established in Brong-Ahafo and the three northern regions showed yields from improved fields being five times higher than yields from farmers practice farms. Mr Stephen Engman, Special Assistant to the Upper West Region Minister, urged the farmers to adopt the new maize and the technologies attached to its production in order to reap maximum benefits. 17 Oct 03